Device for spraying liquid pharmaceuticals

ABSTRACT

A device for mechanically spraying dosage units of liquid pharmaceutical compositions or solutions thereof onto the skin or into body cavities comprises a manually operated valve of a dosage metering pump and an adapter containing a nozzle.

United States Patent [191 Franz 1 1 DEVlCE FOR SPRAYING LIQUID PHARMACEUTICALS [75] Inventor: Helmut Franz, Biberach/Riss,

Germany [73] Assignee: Boehringer lngelheim, GmbH,

lngelheim am Rhein, Germany 1 Filed: Aug. 24, 1972 1 Appl. No.: 283,511

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 31, 1971 Germany 2143471 [52] U.S. Cl 222/205, 222/361, 128/250 [51] Int. Cl B67d 5/06 [58] Field of Search 222/366, 36], 402.2, 205; 128/252, 222, 248, 249, 250

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,434.875 1/1948 Turnbull et a1. 128/250 1 June 28, 1974 3,170,462 2/1965 H2111 128/249 X 3263,87] 8/1966 Thompson Ill/ 05 3.437.246 4/1969 Clapp ZZZ/40 2 3.591.059 7/1971 Sieilrns ZZZ/402 2 13191.088 8/1961 Anderson 128/248 X Primary Emminer-Stanley l-l. Tollberg Assistant Eraminer-James M. Slattery Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hamimond & Littell 5 7] ABSTRACT A device for mechanically spraying dosage units of liquid pharmaceutical compositions or solutions thereof onto the skin or into body cavities comprises a manually operated valve of a dosage metering pump and an adapter containing a nozzle.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH28 m4 3320.698

SHEET 1 [1F 2 FIG. 2

DEVICE FOR SPRAYING LIQUID PHARMACEUTICALS THE PRIOR ART Attempts have been made to apply liquid pharmaceutical compositions or solutions thereof in correct dosage unit size. One known applicator usually used for this purpose was a container having an atomizer cap for spraying the liquid present in the container. This atomizer cap was comprised by a riser, or standpipe, extending down into the liquid and having a blowpipe at the top end thereof. Also. at the top end of the standpipe was a rubber bulb containing a nozzle through which the liquid was sprayed whenever the bulb was squeezed. However the discharge of a dosage unit of the sprayed pharmaceutical was impossible with these spray devices.

Another device used for the mechanical spraying of liquid pharmaceutical compositions was the elastic container, or squeeze bottle, having a spray cap attached thereto. These devices also have the disadvantage that the dosage discharged is not readily controlla ble. The dosage discharged is dependent upon the mechanical pressure exerted upon the elastic container and upon the amount of the contents remaining in the container. A further disadvantage is that many of the active ingredients and solvents would react chemically with the elastic container material, for example with plastics, such as Lupolen; or they would infuse into this container material.

Another type of device previously used for spraying dosages of liquid pharmaceutical compositions was the aerosol can which comprises a pressurized container which was supplied with a propellant and provided with a pressure valve. This required a container having pressure resistant walls. In addition to this, the liquid pharmaceutical compositions were not always compatible with the liquid propellant. Spraying of the aerosol composition onto the skin, especially onto the mucous membranes, was known to sometimes create an undesirable cooling effect. If instead of using liquid propellants, compressed gases such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide were used as propellants, then the use of pressure metering valves was not possible. With aerosols it was not possible to meter out a dosage unit of the fluid to be sprayed, because of a loss of pressure occurring after repeated spraying. Often an incomplete evacuation of the container would be the result of inexpert application.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for applying liquid pharmaceutical compositions in dosage unit form onto the skin or into body cavities by manual application thereof without using pressur ized containers, squeeze bottles or atomizers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for spraying liquid pharmaceutical compositions comprising a valve of a dosage metering pump and an adapter connected thereto in a pressure tight manner.

These and further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The device according to the invention has none of the above mentioned disadvantages. Particularly, there is no need to use containers resistant to compression and no need to use special packing machines and filling devices. The choice of the container material is optional; and inexpensive glass containers may be used which possess the additional advantage that chemical interactions with the liquid charge to be sprayed are practically avoided. The usual safety devices which are necessary when using pressurized containers may also be omitted.

The device according to the invention consists of an adapter and a valve of a dosage metering pump which is of known construction. The adapter is sealed in a pressure tight manner onto the valve of the dosage metering pump, and the adapter has a channel containing the fluid pumped up from the valve metering chamber. The channel ends in a spray-nozzle. To obtain an exact and equal distribution of the spray, a vortex spraynozzle is preferably used. The channel of the adapter is fastened to the stem of the valve of the dosage metering pump in a pressure tight manner. The opening of the channel is coaxially aligned with the opening of the stern.

When a mechanical pressure is exerted on the adapter in the direction of the container, for instance, exerted by the forefinger, the stem moves within the valve metering chamber of the dosage metering pump in the same direction. This movement by the stem under the exerted pressure forces a dosage unit of the liquid outwardly through the channel so as to pass through the spray nozzle. The adapter returns to its starting position, for example, by a counter-acting force produced in the valve of the dosage metering pump, which returning causes a new charge of liquid to flow into the metering chamber.

Alternatively an elastic member, such as a spring, can be utilized to exert the counteracting force needed to return the adapter to its original position. Usually the spring is placed between the adapter and the valve of the dosage metering pump. However the use of the spring is optional.

The particular embodiment of the adapter utilized is variable according to the shape of the body cavities into which the pharmaceutical composition is to be sprayed.

The following drawings are illustrative of the invention without being deemed limitative in any manner thereof.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a valve of a dosage metering pump in combination with an adapter according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of an adapter for spraying into the eye.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of an adapter f0 spraying into the external canal of the ear.

FIG. 4a is a cross-section view of an adapter for spraying the oral and throat cavity.

FIG. 4b is a top view of the adapter shown in FIG. 4a.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of an adapter for inhalation of the spray.

FIG. 1 shows in cross-section. the combination of a valve of a dosage metering pump and an adapter. The adapter is olive shaped and thus suitable for insertion into and spraying of the nose. In FIG. I, 1 represents the nose-adapter, 2 represents the adapter-channel, 3 represents the adapter-nozzle. 4 represents the pressure application surface for manual operation of the device, 5 represents the valve of the dosage metering pump of the desired shape and size, 6 represents the stem of the valve of the dosage metering pump, 7 represents the riser pipe of this valve which is immersed into the content of the container (not shown) and 8 represents a threaded cap.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a method for operating the device of the invention is described as follows. Stem 6 is pressed downward through the enlarged cavity portion of the adapter channel by pressure exerted on the pressure application surface 4, for instance exerted by the forefinger and middle finger of the hand. The pressure is propagated to the liquid column standing in the metering chamber 5 which column is subsequently forced upwardly through the channel 2 and sprayed out through nozzle 3. The stem 6 abuts the walls of the adapter channel 2 in a pressure tight manner.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a spring 13 is shown, which spring is optional. When sufficient pressure is applied to the surface 4, this pressure compresses spring 13 which is held between and abuts against the inside surface of wall 14 and the top surface of wall 15. Then when this pressure is released from the pressure application surface 4, the compressed spring will return the adapter to its starting position, carrying stem 6 upward toward the top portion of the metering chamber 5. This returning movement by stem 6 draws a new charge of the liquid into chamber 5. Adapter 1 is held in place by a clasp means (not shown) which prevents spring 13 from pushing wall 14 beyond the extent of wall 15.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an adapter developed for the spraying of the eye. Numbers 1 to 6 have the above-defined meanings as described for FIG. 1; and 9 represents an eye-cup.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view of the adapter having a shape convenient for spraying the external canal ofthe ear. The numbers 1 to 6 have the same meanings as defined above, while 10 represents the insertion pipe for use in the external canal of the ear. In the preferred embodiment shown, the pipe has a spherical shaped end.

FIG. 4a and 4b represent an adapter for the spraying of the charge into the oral and throat cavity. FIG. 4a shows a cross-sectional view of the device, while FIG. 4b shows the top view. The numbers I to 6 have the same meanings as defined above in the aforementioned figures. while 11 represents the insertion pipe for use in the oral and throat cavity which pipe is preferably elliptical or rounded and expanding towards the end carrying the nozzle.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an adapter for use in spray inhalation. The numbers I to 6 have the same meanings as defined before, while 12 represents the mouth pipe having preferably a cylindrical shape.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a few preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the new invention. All of these variations and modifications are considered to be within the true spirit and scope of the present invention as disclosed in the foregoing description and defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for mechanically spraying a dosage unit of liquid pharmaceuticals or liquid compositions thereof into a body cavity or onto the skin. comprising a valve of a dosage metering pump, an adapter positioned with respect to the said valve in a pressure-tight manner, said adapter having a channel therein, a stem abutting said channel walls with a pressure-tight seal and connecting said channel with the valve of the dosage metering pump so as to prevent a loss of pressure, an adapter vortex spray nozzle connected to said channel for producing an exact and equal distribution of the spray, and a pressure application surface on the adapter for manual operation of the device, said dosage metering pump comprising a first wall of diameter greater than the diameter of said valve of said dosage metering pump, and said adapter comprising a second wall of diameter greater than the diameter of said first wall, said first wall being placed in such a spaced relationship to said second wall that said walls overlap, and a spring means held between and abutting against the inside surface of said second wall and the top surface of said first wall, said spring means being prevented from contacting said stem of the valve of the dosage metering pump by said first wall and said second wall.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is olive shaped.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in an eye-cup.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in a pipe which is shaped for insertion into the external ear canal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the shape of the end of the insertion pipe is spherically shaped.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in an insertion pipe which is expanding elliptically at its end.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter carries a cylindrically formed pipe. 

1. A device for mechanically spraying a dosage unit of liquid pharmaceuticals or liquid compositions thereof into a body cavity or onto the skin, comprising a valve of a dosage metering pump, an adapter positioned with respect to the said valve in a pressure-tight manner, said adapter having a channel therein, a stem abutting said channel walls with a pressure-tight seal and connecting said channel with the valve of the dosage metering pump so as to prevent a loss of pressure, an adapter vortex spray nozzle connected to said channel for producing an exact and equal distribution of the spray, and a pressure application surface on the adapter for manual operation of the device, said dosage metering pump comprising a first wall of diameter greater than the diameter of said valve of said dosage metering pump, and said adapter comprising a second wall of diameter greater than the diameter of said first wall, said first wall being placed in such a spaced relationship to said second wall that said walls overlap, and a spring means held between and abutting against the inside surface of said second wall and the top surface of said first wall, said spring means being prevented from contacting said stem of the valve of the dosage metering pump by said first wall and said second wall.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter is olive shaped.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in an eye-cup.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in a pipe which is shaped for iNsertion into the external ear canal.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the shape of the end of the insertion pipe is spherically shaped.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter ends in an insertion pipe which is expanding elliptically at its end.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the adapter carries a cylindrically formed pipe. 